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A Detailed Heavy Metal Detox Protocol

Brain Health

How To Detox Heavy Metals (A

Detailed Protocol By Elise Purcell)
We’ve discussed toxins, gut health, and how to prepare the kidneys and liver for a heavy
metal detox recently. If you missed those shows, you can watch them here:

A Four-Step Solution To Modern Day Toxicity

How Toxins Affect Hormones And Immunity

Today, we’re taking a deep dive into how to eliminate heavy metals from the body.

I invited my friend and gifted Functional Diagnostic Nutrition practitioner, Elise Purcell from
Integration for Life, to guest blog on the topic because she has had to overcome her own
heavy metal toxicity to regain her well-being and now guides others in that process.

[Enter Elise]

Identifying and eliminating heavy metals was no doubt one of my most pivotal steps to
recovering from chronic illness. Once they were removed, the parasite that I had been trying
to get rid of for five years went away, and other health issues decreased. It's not an easy
process, and it's a topic many doctors don't discuss, but I am passionate about educating
people on what I have learned through experience because it helped me so much!

“Detox” has become quite the buzzword these days, and heavy metals should be on the top
of the list of toxins to be aware of. People think that heavy metals are far removed from
everyday life, but we are now actually getting exposed to them on a daily basis. They can
create havoc in the body… including fatigue, brain fog, muscle/joint pain or weakness,
digestive troubles and even female reproductive issues. They can also be very hard to get rid
of unless you prepare correctly and take the right steps.

What Are The Major Heavy Metal Offenders?

Mercury – toxic effects include damage to kidneys, lungs, and the brain (causes injury to
neurons and can cause neurological illness)
Aluminum – creates inflammation, especially in the brain and can contribute to
Alzheimer’s disease
Cadmium – increases blood pressure and can cause atherosclerosis and kidney damage
Arsenic – disrupts mitochondrial activity and causes serious neurological, respiratory,
and gastrointestinal challenges
Lead – causes abdominal issues, headaches, and impairs brain
Copper – causes nervous system dysfunction, loss of sexual interest, connective tissue
problems

How Do We Get Exposed To Heavy Metals?

Mercury is most commonly found as methyl mercury in farmed or Atlantic fish, and as
inorganic mercury in dental amalgams. It’s often used as a preservative in the influenza
vaccine.

Aluminum is in most cooking pans, tin foil, many antiperspirants, many over-the-counter
medications, processed cheese and related products, cake mixes, pancake mixes, and frozen
dough. It has also replaced mercury in many vaccines as a preservative. Fluoride in drinking
water increases the uptake of aluminum.

Cadmium is mostly in cigarettes but is also in the water, air, and even the soil and food supply
in industrial areas. It's often found in plastics and even some chocolate.

Arsenic is in drinking water, some rice, and conventionally raised chicken.

Lead is in paint (unless it says on the can ‘lead-free'), commonly in drinking water (from old
pipes), some herbal remedies from questionable brands, and some chocolate.

Copper is in many common foods like coffee, chocolate, avocado, soy, shellfish, certain beans
and nuts, and most IUDs are also made of copper.

How To Test For Heavy Metals (And Get Rid Of

Them)
It is absolutely essential to get a licensed practitioner to run tests and guide you through the
process of getting rid of heavy metals. Heavy metals can hide in the cells of the brain, nervous
system, liver, kidneys, gallbladder, gut and soft tissue, and are not always easily picked up in
tests. I have found the most thorough and reliable ones are from Quicksilver Scientific, the
Blood Metals and the Mercury Tri-Test.

You will also need to get a variety of other testing done to identify the current state of health
in your body to know if and when it is safe to begin. Starting the process before the body is
ready can cause great discomfort and distress. Knowing your current state also provides a
marker for your improvement down the road.

What information do you need? It is important that the detox pathways are open and
functioning well, meaning the liver, kidneys, and gut. Test to be sure. Taking folate, B
Vitamins, and eating foods such as broccoli, kale, garlic, onions, and daikon radish that
contain sulfur can also assist this process.

The Hypothalamic Pituitary Adrenal (HPA) Axis must be in good condition to properly detoxify
heavy metals. Again, testing is crucial. I have found that even some of my clients that claim to
“feel great” could use some support in this area. While detoxing heavy metals, there should
be little to moderate stimulant activity (caffeine, over-exercising, over-working, and even over-
worrying).

Essential minerals should also be tested; if you are deficient in these minerals, your body
will use toxic metals to fill their place instead.

Lead substitutes for calcium, cadmium very readily substitutes for zinc, and aluminum seems
to jump in almost anywhere. The body then retains those metals and locks them into the
tissues, taking the place of the appropriate nutrients.

Chelation/binders can only remove heavy metals that are in a free form. So, until the
nutritional status of the body has shifted to supply these minerals in a usable form to the
tissues, the body will not let go of the toxic metals. This often means supplementation is
necessary before starting the detox process (see below).

Spectracell labs are trusted for this test.

Heavy Metal Chelation With Binders

Once all of this has been successfully addressed, you are ready for chelation and binders. I
recommend oral chelation over IV chelation. There are many different opinions on this topic,
but this is what has worked for me personally. It ensures that you can manage and titrate
specifically for your individual situation. That makes it easier to avoid possible side effects, like
extreme dizziness and nausea. This way, if you do too much too fast, you can always scale
back on dosage until your system stabilizes and then move forward again when your body is
ready.

EDTA is an amino acid chelator. It is most effective at eliminating heavier metals and will
work from heaviest to lightest. It is safest to work with low doses and take your time, like 6
months to a year, listening to your body, instead of trying to detox too fast and cause damage
to your kidneys or other organs. I recommend this one.

My two favorite heavy metal binders are zeobind and chlorella. The mistake many people
make is taking binders like chlorella with a smoothie or food. These products eliminate the
toxins from your body, so you want to do that independently of the digestive process to
ensure proper assimilation of the nutrients from your food. Take binders 30 minutes before or
1 hour after any food or supplements.

You must sweat! The other ways that toxins come out are through lymph and sweat. But
remember: over-exercising can inhibit healing. The most effective way to sweat is with an
infrared sauna. A great time to take binders is before getting in the sauna. You should also
drink plenty of water and increase fiber and electrolyte intake during the detox process,
especially after the sauna.

Getting heavy metals out of the brain can be especially difficult, as they can often accumulate
there – particularly after certain dental procedures (amalgams, implants, etc). Dr. Klinghardt,
a German doctor that is an expert on heavy metals, toxicity, and chronic illness, has found
that liposomal melatonin is a great detoxifier of the brain because it acts as an antioxidant
and is especially effective for heavy metals. It also helps with sleep (which is integral for
detoxification) and the gut. The ‘hangover’ many people report is actually a brain detox effect.

A Special Note On Women’s Health And Copper

A metal that merits special attention is copper. It is different in that all the other above
mentioned metals have no productive use in the body. Copper is different; we require it to live
and thrive. However, in excess, it builds up in the liver, joints, lungs, and brain and impairs
adrenal function, slows down metabolism, and can have disastrous effects on mood,
hormones, and reproductive health.

Birth control and copper IUDs can affect how copper functions in the body. While for some
women this is not a problem, others find it common to experience things like mild to severe
sexual difficulties of various types, depression, and anxiety. Pulling the excess copper out can
be beneficial for many reasons, including less PMS, cramping, and higher fertility rates.
Copper and zinc are inversely related, so re-mineralizing zinc and also Vitamin C (which is an
antagonist to copper) is necessary.

Additional Suggestions To Take/Eat/Do (For

Detoxing Heavy Metals)
Supplement with zinc, NAC, ALA, milk thistle, glutathione, and garlic
Eat wild caught, low-mercury fish (salmon, shrimp, and cod), plenty of high-quality
protein and fats like omega-3, olive oil, and flax oil
Use natural deodorant
Dry brush before bathing
Replace aluminum pots and pans for cast iron or ceramic
Spray magnesium oil on organs and belly (assists in detox, bowel regulation, relaxes
muscles and calms the nervous system)
Get amalgams taken out by a biological dentist (must be done correctly or can be
extremely toxic)
Use air filters and water filters in your home
Put your phone on airplane mode while sleeping (reduce EMFs)
Rebound 5 minutes, twice a day on a mini-trampoline

Heavy Metals Affect Everyone To Some

Degree Or Another
I do believe that in the modern world it isn’t a question of if this applies to you but to what
degree. Hopefully, this gives you some knowledge on just how complex this issue can be and
some steps in the right direction.

This information is not meant to instill fear, but to inspire educated and purposeful action.

I wish you the best of luck on what I like to call your “Health Adventure!”

– Elise Purcell

[Re-Enter Christa]

How To Work With Elise Or Other FDN

Practitioners To Detox Heavy Metals
I hope you enjoyed Elise’s guest blog and learned a lot about heavy metal toxicity and how to
recover from it. For more about Elise, or to work with her privately, you can visit her website
integrationforlife.com. She currently has a waitlist practice.

You can also find a qualified Functional Diagnostic Nutrition practitioner in your area at
http://functionaldiagnosticnutrition.com.

References:

Metals and the Mind-Wise Traditions, Theresa Vernon

Nutritional Balancing and Hair Mineral Analysis, Lawrence Wilson, MD
Copper and Your Health, Lawrence Wilson, MD
Fundamental Teachings, Dietrich Klinghardt, MD

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